I think back to visiting my cousin Linh’s little coffee shop in Hanoi a few years ago. She was struggling, barely making ends meet. Then she started accepting Bitcoin. Now, all of a sudden, she had customers from all around the world, and without the exorbitant transaction fees that were cutting into her profits. Bitcoin empowered her, leveled the playing field and gave her the fighting chance she needed to compete with the corporate coffee behemoths. Now, that freedom, that opportunity, is under threat.

Malikie Innovations, a patent troll – let’s name and shame these guys. They're suing Core Scientific and Marathon Digital Holdings, claiming Bitcoin's cryptography infringes on their patents.

Is Bitcoin Being Held Hostage?

Think about it. They didn't invent Bitcoin. They’re just reaping the benefits of the breakthroughs others have made. This innovation has made it possible for folks like Linh to flourish. This isn't about protecting intellectual property; it's about corporate greed, plain and simple. It’s not about protecting consumers. It’s about smothering innovation and squelching competition while now concentrating power in the hands of a narrow few.

This isn’t only the fault of a handful of large, multinational mining companies. If Malikie wins, it would set an opposite new precedent. This dangerous precedent would allow them to force licensing fees from anyone who uses Bitcoin – miners, node operators, and wallet providers. That’s a frontal assault on the decentralized core of Bitcoin. That’s an attack on the very reason Bitcoin exists. It’s the equivalent of making farmers pay royalties for using the damn wheel!

Can Our Collective Action Prevail?

This isn’t the first time patent trolls have targeted cutting-edge technologies for a shakedown. Remember the podcasting wars? The Wi-Fi battles? Linux almost got crushed by these parasites. In each of those instances, a committed community stood up to the industry and they prevailed. We can win this too.

It requires action. It requires us to recognize this for what it is: a direct assault on the freedom and accessibility that Bitcoin represents.

Paul Grewal of Coinbase is right: patent trolls are barriers to innovation. We can't let them win. We need to demonstrate to them that the Bitcoin community is an advocacy army to be feared.

  • Support COPA (Crypto Open Patent Alliance): COPA is dedicated to protecting the crypto space from patent abuse. Donate, volunteer, get involved. Their strength is our strength.
  • Help with Prior Art Searches: Prove that these patents aren't novel. Dig through old research papers, code repositories, anything that shows the technology existed before Malikie's patents.
  • Spread Awareness: Talk about this. Share this article. Educate your friends, family, and colleagues. The more people who understand the threat, the stronger our defense will be.
  • Engage Unified Patents: Unified Patents is an organization specializing in challenging questionable patents. They have a track record of success and can bring significant legal expertise to the table.

The elephant in the room is this: why now? Why are these patents now being warred with against Bitcoin. Or perhaps it’s because Bitcoin is getting too successful? Or is it because the entrenched powerful interests are scared to death by its beautiful, anarchistic, decentralized nature? Maybe. Maybe not. One thing is clear: we can't afford to be complacent.

Will Bitcoin's Future Be Secured?

This is our David vs. Goliath moment. We’re the scrappy, decentralized underdog, taking on a very well funded, very well connected opponent. We have something they don't: a passionate, dedicated community that believes in the power of Bitcoin to change the world.

I believe in that power. Finally, I have faith in the ingenuity and resilience of the Bitcoin community. And I believe that with your help, we can defeat the patent trolls and protect Bitcoin’s future for decades to come.

Let’s give Linh, and millions more just like her, their power back. Together, we can make sure they’re constructing those dreams on a strong base of a deeply open and accessible financial system. Let's fight for Bitcoin. Let's fight for freedom.

(Editor's Note: Consider adding a meme of David facing Goliath, with David labeled "Bitcoin Community" and Goliath labeled "Patent Trolls." A short TikTok-style video explaining the situation in simple terms would be highly effective.)

(Editor's Note: Consider adding a meme of David facing Goliath, with David labeled "Bitcoin Community" and Goliath labeled "Patent Trolls." A short TikTok-style video explaining the situation in simple terms would also be highly effective.)